Pulmonary Lymphatics Are Primary Sites of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> Infection in Guinea Pigs Infected by Aerosol

Abstract

Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes a lymphatic vasculitis in the lungs of guinea pigs infected by a low-dose aerosol. This observation suggests that in addition to being a direct conduit from the lungs to the regional lymph nodes, pulmonary lymphatics are themselves sites of infection and could be the site of latent infection.